Research Proposal

To:          Dr. Erika Paterson
From:     Ishaan Vora
Date:      October 18, 2020
Subject:  Proposal for a new bus service that runs parallel with the 99 B-Line between Commercial-Broadway Station and the University of British Columbia

Introduction
Vancouver has witnessed an exponential rise in population in recent years. Bus services are currently the only large scale, economically viable public transport it has. With growing crowds, the supply of the service cannot match the demand of the populous and therefore creates waiting lines for hours at Commercial-Broadway Station during peak time. This remains a critical problem that hasn’t had a solution over years.

Statement of Problem
Been a student in Vancouver for 3 years, I have heard and directly witnessed the hours of waiting at Commercial-Broadway Station for the 99 B-Line. Being one of the most used modes of commute to UBC, the waiting time hinders productivity and creates spiraling problems. Despite the high frequency of buses to accommodate its riders, the 99 B- Line has repeatedly failed to curb overcrowding, resulting in a usual wait time of 2 hours.

Proposed Solution

One potential solution to mitigate the service’s inefficiency is to propose another bus line that takes people from Commercial-Broadway Station to UBC with no stops. This can divide the populous between students and casual/corporate users and reduce overcrowding. Faculty and students can directly get on the new bus line that will directly take them to campus to avoid the wastage of time.

Scope
To determine the best implementation strategy, I plan to investigate the following areas:

1. Who are the varied users of the 99 B-Line and how often do they travel using this service?
2. What are the user experiences in regards to the waiting time?
3. Who would benefit from the implementation of a new bus service?
4. Has the government proposed a short-term solution?
5. What are the variables needed to propose the implementation of this new service?
6. Who would be responsible to analyze, approve, and allocate resources for such a project?

Methods
My primary research would include first-hand data from people who use this type of commute daily. I will determine the frequency of the 99 B-Line during peak hours and a general estimate of the populous waiting. Using questionnaires and surveys, I anticipate quantitative and qualitative data to underscore the inefficiency and find if any measures have been taken to rectify the issue from both, the people and the drivers.

My secondary research will include the efforts of the institution in charge of this service along with user experiences that would aid in retrieving qualitative data. Using this, I would analyze the conception of a new bus line and extrapolate the satisfaction that could be created for daily commuters.

My Qualifications

I have often used this mode of commute and have acquaintances who use it daily. Having first-hand knowledge and having known people who use this bus daily gives me an opportune scope to analyze and improve the service and its problem of overcrowding.

Conclusion

This mode of transport is used by thousands of people. It runs through some of the busiest places and therefore creates a gap between the supply and demand of the service. Implementing a parallel bus line would be a likely solution to meet both ends and mitigate the problem of overcrowding and hours of waiting lines.